Code Monkeys

Code Monkeys is an old G4 network show from the same guy who brought us other short-lived shows like Adult Swim’s Minoriteam and Comedy Central’s I’m with Busey. Having watched all three shows, I can honestly say I miss Minoriteam the most. But hey, at least Code Monkeys had a wrestling episode.

The best part about this animated series is the nostalgia factor. The cartoon plays out like an 8-bit video game complete with little nuances like health meters and RPG-style text boxes. Seeing 8-bit copyright-loophole versions of old school WWE wrestlers made it even cooler. The show follows the game designers at GameaVision, who happen to get challenged to a wrestling contest by their competitors, Bollecovision, in this particular episode. And because apparently this is the kind of crazy shenanigans that go on in the world of video game designing.

Larrity, a blatant rip-off of The Simpsons’ rich Texan Richard O’Hara, is the owner of GameaVision. He’s also the funniest character on the show, on account of him being based on a Simpsons’ character.

Anyway, Larrity decides to hold tryouts for the company’s wrestling team and realizes his employees suck due to them being people who design video games for a living. Except for Black Steve, who used to moonlight as pro wrestler Black Shadow to pay his way through Dartmouth. And what’s with “black” being used as a nickname? There’s also a Black Cindy on Orange is the New Black. I’m not saying it’s racist, I’m just saying let’s mix it up with some other races. Like Mexican Chad or Asian Mike.

Larrity decides to hire ringers to win the wrestling competition. Enter: Bulk Brogan, Sgt. Murder, “Manly Man” Ricky Ravage, and Sergei the Giant. And if I need to explain the real wrestlers these guys are based off of you probably shouldn’t be reading this blog. Just kidding, I need all the readers I can get! They’re based off of Hulk Hogan, Sgt. Slaughter, Randy Savage, and Andre the Giant.

Bulk is very much a douchey bro, which is evident by the way he creepily hits on the female employees. Sgt. Murder is way too intense and still considers himself a Marine drill sergeant, as he tries to whip the fat Todd character into shape. Ricky Ravage is obviously super manly and homophobic. And Sergie is a quiet mountain of a man who surprisingly does what he’s told by his game coding co-workers Jerry and slacker friend Dave.

We find out that Black Steve stopped wrestling because he killed Sgt. Murder’s brother, Tommy Murder, after catching him kissing his woman. Which, strangely enough, is the catalyst that kicks off the movie Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies. In an act of revenge Sgt. Murder challenged him to a death match, but Steve didn’t want to kill anymore and has been hiding out as a video game designer ever since. You’d be hard pressed to find a more compelling storyline on Monday Night Raw.

Naturally, the pro wrestling ringers destroy their Bollecovision rivals, which includes Starman from old the Pro Wrestling video game for the Nintendo. A nice added touch. Moves that could’ve never been dreamed of within the restraints of 8-bit graphics are used, like an off the top rope 450 guillotine leg drop courtesy of Sgt. Murder. Who is clearly much more agile than his real-life counterpart. There are also your more basic moves like the flying forearm smash and back body drop. And Bulk Brogan doing the hand-cupping-ear taunt.

Right as the GameaVision team is winning the Black Shadow re-emerges. And just when you think he’s going to bust a hurricanrana on Sgt. Murder he rips off his head instead. Classic Russo swerve. Because of the whole murder thing GameaVision is then banned from future wrestling competitions. This definitely made me wish for pixelated blood back in the days of the original Nintendo wrestling games. That would’ve made WrestleMania Challenge so much better. Well, that and the ability to pull off a 450 guillotine leg drop from the top rope.